On Monday's Late Night, Seth Meyers took at look at Donald Trump's recent broadsides against U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who's overseeing fraud lawsuits against Trump University. "Some have called Trump's attacks racist, while others have called them really racist, and now GOP leaders are squirming as they try to condemn Trump while also continuing to support him," Meyers said. Trump started attacking the judge when Curiel ordered the release of internal Trump U documents that appear to show the "university" to be a shady, high-pressure get-rich-quick scheme.
"They targeted single mothers who needed money for food," Meyer said. "Even Bernie Madoff was like, 'Woah, dawg, that's not cool.'" The documents and allegations from former students and instructors are unseemly, but "rather than respond to the substance of those allegations, Trump has decided to go after the judge presiding over the class action lawsuits personally, in a way that can only be described as incredibly racist," Meyer added, and he did so just as GOP leaders reluctantly united behind him. "Now, as punishment, they've had to do their best to dodge when confronted with Trump's latest racist outburst." Meyers focused on House Speaker Paul Ryan, mixing pity with disbelief. "Republicans can't pretend to be shocked and offended," he concluded. "This is who Trump was well before this latest outburst, and this is who they're lining up to support." Watch his entire argument below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 GrammysSpeed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
